HC Deb 25 January 1999 vol 324 cc54-6W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums from the phase two programme administered by the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders have been expended in each of the last four years in respect of persons who have had to leave Northern Ireland because of threats from terrorist organisations; and how many of these departures were the result of pressure from(a) Loyalist and (b) Republican terrorist organisations. [66568]

Mr. Ingram

NIACRO run the Base 2 project which was established in 1990. The project aims to prevent individuals from being the victims of paramilitary punishment attacks. The services provided by the project are used by a number of statutory and voluntary agencies

Overall levels of funding (by financial year)
1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 (to date)
Making Belfast Work (MBW) 80,000
Probation Board for NI (PBNI) 82,080 82,080
Social Services Inspectorate 11,851 12,768
Trusts 10,000 5,500 37,580 39,500
Total 101,851 100,348 119,660 39,500

The project does not receive funding from Central Government.

The funds identified relate to the totality of the Base 2 activities and it is not possible to extract financial information that relates specifically to the cost of removing those under threat from Northern Ireland.

Source of threat1
1995 1996 1997 1998
Republican 129 238 329 337
Loyalist 90 155 218 292
Unknown 5 16 17
1Figures are detailed by calendar year

The table details the total numbers of people dealt with based on the origin of the threat against them.

Final outcome—left country1
Year Number
1995 55
1996 106
1997 81
Date Visits
21 January Inter-denominational Service at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Armagh.
5–8 April Convent of Mercy School, Rostrevor; Institute of Directors' Annual Dinner; Hillsborough Castle; Flax Trust; Wave Trauma Centre; Cornerstone Community Centre; Launch of EU Peace and Reconciliation Directive (PROTEUS), Belfast; St. Michael's Grammar School, Lurgan; St. Mark's High School, Arrenpoint.
8–10 May Annual Dinner of St. Mary's Christian Brothers' School, Belfast.
16 August Omagh in aftermath of bomb.
22 August Inter-denominational Service, Omagh; Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast.
21–22 October St. Joseph's High School; Clonalig Primary School, St. Brigid's Primary School, Crossmaglen; Creggan Parent and Toddler Association; Dove House Community; Rural Area Partnership in Derry; Well Woman Centre; Talking Hands, Londonderry, International Fund for Ireland projects in Brookeborough and Lisnaskea.
17 November St. Oliver Plunkett's School, Forkhill, Bunscoil an luir, Newry, New Start Millennium Awards, Ashton Centre, Institute for Counselling and Personal Development, Amnesty International, Queen's University, St. Louise' School Concert, Belfast.
16–17 December Graduation Ceremony, Queen's University; Mater Hospital, Belfast, Whiteabbey Primary School; Thornfield Trust Speech Disability Unit, Jordanstown.

Note:

All of the visits were private working visits.

including Social Services, Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) and previously by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI). Base 2 also receive a large number of self referrals.

Final outcome—left country1
Year Number
1998 88
1 Figures are detailed by calendar year

The table relates to those people who were assisted to leave the country.

I have also arranged for a copy of the Base 2 Annual Report for 1997 to be placed in the Library.